Mechanical christmas tree.



W. F. KRAUSE; MECHANICALy CHRISTMAS TREE. APPLICATION FILED MAYH. 1.915.

1 163 093.. .Patented D@.7,1915.

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MECHANICAL CHRISTMAS TREE.

' APPLICATION FILED MAY II. I9I5. v i. Y 1,168,093. Patented Deo.7,1915. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2. f

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MECHANICAL CHRISTMAS TREE.

I APPLICATION FILED MAY II. I9I5. 1,163,093, Patented Dec. 7, 1915.

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WILLIAM E. KRAUSE, 0F FOND DULAC, WISCONSIN.

MECHANICAL CHRISTMAS TREE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

n Patented Dec. 7, 1915.

Application filed May 11, 1915. SeralNo. 27,438.

To all whom 'it may concern Beit known that I, WILLIAM F. yKRAUSE, acitizen of the United States of America, residing at Fond du Lac, in thecounty of Fond du Lao and State of llVisconsin, have invented certainnew and useful improvements in Mechanical Christmas Trees, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawing. n

This; invention relates to mechanical Christmas trees and has foritsobject the production of a simple and efficient mechanical Christmastree, whereby the heat rising from the candles carried thereby willcause the tree to rotate.

vAnother object ofthis invention is the production of a simple andetiicient mechanical Christmas tree, the parts of which may be readilyand conveniently assembled.

A still further object of this invention is the production of a simpleand efficient mechanism which is simple in construction and consists ofa minimum number of parts.

lith these and other objects in view this invention consists of certainnovel combinations, constructions, and arrangements of parts as will behereinafter fully described and claimed.

ln the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of the tree.Fig. 2 is a central vertical section thereof. Fig. 3 is a top plan viewof thepropeller wheel.` Fig.

4 isa section taken on line 4 4, of Fig. `2. Fig. 5 is 4a section takenon line 5-5, of Fig. Fig. 6 is aininiature sectional view taken on line6 6, of Fig. 2. Fig.7 is a vertical section through oneof the candleholders carried by the lower platform. Fig.

8 is a vertical sectional view through one of the candle holders carriedby the upper plat- Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the candle holderillustrated in Fig. 8. Fig. l() is an enlarged fragmentary sideelevation of one of the radiating rods. n Fig. 11 is a per` spectiveview of one of the socket brackets carried by the lower platform forsupporting the fence. Fig. l2 is a plan view of the blank from which thesocket member illustrated in Fig. 11 is made. i

By referring to the drawings itwill be seen that 1 designates the-baseof the tree which comprises a supporting block 2 having radiating arms 3secured thereto, which arms in turn support a rectangular frame 4 attheir outer ends upon which any desired or suitable decoration may beplaced.` The supporting plate 2 is in turn supported by the legs 5 asillustrated in Fig. 1.

A plurality of bracket arms 6 are secured to the base plate 2,r and havetheir` laterally bent ends 7 secured to the under face of the lowerplatform, 8. This lower platform 8y illustrated in Fig. 5, and eachsocket platey 'comprises an inwardly extending tongue 12, which tongueis provided with an upwardly struck lip 13 terminating in a pair ofrearwardly extending parallel side lips 14, which lips in turn terminatein laterally extending ears 15. rlhe ears 15 are secured to the edges ofthe platform S by means of rivets or other securing means 16. i It will,therefore, be seen that a socket will be formed at each corner of thesupporting platform 8 'within which the brace standards or corner posts17 of the fence which is supported by the platform 8 maybe secured. f i

The fence which is supported by the platform 8 comprises as stated abovea plurality of corner posts 17, which corner posts are r,connected bymeans of the horizontal rails 20 is provided with a downwardly extendingcollar 21 yfor fitting over the rounded upper end 22 of the corner posts17. A candle 23 is then placed in each of the candle holders 20.

s The standard or shaft l0 is provided with a reduced extension 24 atthe upper end thereof upon which is mounted a glass cap 25. rThis glasscap 25 receives the lower end of the pin 26, which pin 26 is carried bythe upper disk 27 illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. A fan or propeller .28is securedto the upper 'disk 27 and is provided with a pluralityof'radiating blades 29. A" strand 30 passesaround the outer ends of theblades 29 formed of tinsel or other suitable decoration and stars aresupported at predetermined points around the edge of the propeller28.

A plurality of converging rods 32 are secured to the under face ofvthendisk 27, and

' these rods 32 are provided with notches 33 upon the inner face thereoffor the purpose of receiving the notches 34 formed inthe bracing disk35. The bracing disk 35 is 'provided with a centrally located aperture36 which is considerably larger than the standard l0 to permit thepropeller carrying frame to readily rotate around the standard or shaft10. The lower ends of'these converging rods 32 engage a disk 37, whichdisk is provided with an enlarged aperture 38 fitting around thestandard or shaft 10.

An `upper platform 39 is supported upon the converging rods '35 byhaving the edges of the apertures 40 formed therein fitting into thenotches'41 formed in the outerface of the converging rods 32, therebyconstituting an eflicientsupport for the platform 39 without theynecessityl of employing additional supporting means.

Y A plurality yof fence posts 42 are secured to thel'platfoim35, andthese postsf42enf gage' the horizontal rails 43 yupon Vwhich rails aresecured the pickets 44.

VA plurality ofcandle holding brackets 45 are secured to the rails 43 inspaced relation for the purpose of 'supporting' thefcandles 46. Thebrackets'45 are preferably struck from one blank sheet of metalas'illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, and each bracket comprises a'downwardly extending iange 47 and a downwardly struck tongue 48.

'Acandle engagingl clip 29 is secured in the outer apertured end of thebracket 45 by having its ends 50 Aclenched under the lower face thereoffor conveniently supporting the candle engaging clip 49. lt should beunderstood that the vYdownwardly extending tongues or lips 47 and 48 areadapted to straddle upon the opposite sidesof the horizontal rails-43and receive securing means such as a pin'or other suitable means forsecuringV the brackets conveniently thereto.

4The operation of the deviceis as followst-Thezcandles 23 are ylightedand also the candles 46, and the heat rising from the candles 23 willengage the propeller 28and cause the same to rotate, thereby: carryingthe supporting frame which comprises the converging rods 32 -the lowerdisk 37,V theY upper'disk 27 and propeller 28V and also the upperplatform 39. vAs the frame thus continues -to rotate, the currents ofheated air risinglfrom the candle'sf46 willassist in driving thel'fan28.

Of course, it should "be lunderstood that vany suitabley decorations asnow employed upon trees and the like maybe placedlupon thetree-inanydesired manner, suchv as for instance decorations may be hungAfrom the by, a platform carried by said support, a

frame comprising an upper disk, a pivot pin engaging said standard forpivotally supporting said frame upon said standard, a plurality 'ofsupporting rods converging towardV the Lupperend vthereof fand engagingsaid'upper disk, a lower disk engaging the lower rends Vof said rods, asecond platform, said second 'platform providedV with a plurality ofapertures formed therein, said rods provided 'withnotches upon the outerface thereofforittin'g inl said apertures and constituting av supportfor said second platform, said rods provided with notches upon theinnerfaces thereof and near the top thereof, abracing-V disk engagingsaid notches and constituting an internal brace therefor, apropellerfcarried bysaid frame, and heating means carried by saidplatform for discharging currents of heated air against said propellerfor rotating saidV frame.

2. A* -device ofthe yclass described' comprisinga support, a standardcarried by said support, afframe rotatably mounted upon saidfstandard,-a propeller carried by said frame,a platform carried by said 'support'and stationary' thereon, candles supported upon vsaid platform, -asecond platform -carried by said frame, said frame adapted to.

A with a plurality of metallic-socket members secured thereto,-postswiittingy within said socket members, rails connecting vsaid posts,pickets-'carried by said rails, candle stick holdersV carriedk bysaidposts, candles carriedby said candle stick' holders, a frameVcarried-:by said standard, a propeller" carried bysaid standard,and-said candles when lighted adapted to discharge Vcurrents of heatedair against said propeller for driving said propeller.

In testimony whereof Ik hereunto affix'` my signature inpresence of twowitnesses.

y wI-LLIAM'F. KRAUSE.

Witnesses aYMARrcn MoKEN-NA,

= EDWARD vM. fMoGowAn.

' Copies ofi-this patent lmay tbe obtained for ve cents eachfbyaddressing the. Commissioner yof Patents,

-Was1iing'ton, D. C.

